Verona Thibault is excited for what this years Saskatchewan Economic Development Association (SEDA) conference is bringing to Humboldt on Nov. 2-4.
The theme for this conference is building economic resilence.
“Our observation is the economy, worldwide and nationally, isn’t as stable as it used to be.”
Thibault says that SEDA is always looking to give support to communities of all sizes but their primary market is small urban centres, towns and villages.
“We’re always looking to give them tools and resources to shore up their community to make sure they are resilient.”
What Thibault and SEDA want to do with the event is bring in key supports around things like financial sustainability.
“As we know we have agressive pressures on communities these days in infrastucture, never mind offering programs and services.”
Alternative revenue sources has been something SEDA has been encouraging in small communities.
Keynotes are designed to bring in new ideas to stimiulate small ecomonies.
Thibault was quick to mention Char Slager, chair of the Friends and Families Community Foundation out of Langenburg. She will be discussing the ease of setting up a community foundation.
“And how that can be applied to supporting any mandate that a community or region determines.”
Sports, recreation, or infrastructure, it’s really up to the community, says Thibault.
Other sessions include thrift store tourism which Thibault says they are going to have some fun with discussing social and financial impacts they have on Saskatchewan communities.
“With swings in the economy, thrift stores become more frequented.”
SEDA was able to get statistics on 31 communities that have thrift stores and their findings will be presented at the conference.
The session itself will be lead by members of the Unite Digital Marketing Cooperative, the group involved with Sasklandia and the first Buy Local Day in Saskatchewan.
Developer Duncan McKercher will be there to discuss The Village at Crossmount, a community designed especially for the 55+ crowd to be age-friendly.
“It’s quite an outstanding venture,” says Thibault, “and it could be replicated to various degrees across Saskatchewan.”
Thibault says she wants to see this innovation drawn out and communities across the province targetting this same age group.
Along with many other discussions, like Community Supported Agriculture with Grovenland Farms out of Lanigan and recession recovery with Jeff Finkle of the International Economic Development Council, Thibault says it is going to be a great conference.
